15c Brown & Blue, Ty. II, Center Inverted (119b). Bright colors, unusually choice centering for this difficult invert with perfs clear of design on all sides, bold strike of cork cancel, trace of red cancel at lower left

FINE. THIS IS ONE OF THE FINEST USED EXAMPLES OF THE 15-CENT 1869 PICTORIAL ISSUE INVERT. IT IS SOUND, THE COLORS ARE FRESH AND THE CENTERING IS BETTER THAN MOST. ONLY 13 USED COPIES ARE CONFIRMED AS SOUND, BUT MANY ARE POORLY CENTERED.

Our census of Scott 119b at https://siegelauctions.com/census/us/scott/119b records three unused and 104 used copies (there are an additional three used examples of Scott 119c). Two of the used copies are in institutions — the Tapling Collection at The British Library and the Miller Collection at The New York Public Library. Only 13 are confirmed as sound. An additional nine have not been seen in many years so their condition is unknown, but most have poor centering. Of the 13 sound copies, almost all have perfs touching the design on at least one side. The 15c is at least as difficult to find in sound condition as the more expensive 24c and 30c inverts.

Census no. 119b-CAN-71. 1976 P.F. certificate 55696 no longer accompanies. With 1995 P.F. and 2015 and 2022 P.S.E. certificates (F 70). Only one grades higher (at 70J), and three others share this grade.

Image Magnifier / Download

PSE Population Report

Market data

Power Search for Comparables